Common Carcass Grading Terms and Definitions:

  • Live weight: how much the steer weighed (in pounds) at the fair
  • Hot carcass weight (HCW): how much the carcass weighed (in pounds) after harvest
  • Dressing percentage (DP): hot carcass weight divided by live weight, expressed as a percent. DP = (HCW ÷ LW) × 100%
  • Backfat: external fat thickness (in inches) measured at the 12th rib, ¾ of the length of the ribeye from the spine
  • Kidney, pelvic and heart (KPH) fat: estimate of the amount of kidney, pelvic and heart fat as a percentage of carcass weight
  • Ribeye area (REA): area of the ribeye muscle (in square inches) measured at the 12th rib
  • Ribeye area per hundred-weight (REA/CWT): ribeye area divided by hot carcass weight expressed as hundred-weight. REA/CWT = REA ÷ (HCW ÷ 100)
  • Yield grade (YG): equation based on balance between muscle and fat; ranges from 1 to 5
    • YG = 2.5 + (2.5 × backfat) + (0.2 × KPH fat) + (0.0038 × HCW) – (0.32 × REA)
  • Maturity: classification of the age of the carcass; ranges from “A” (youngest) to “E” (oldest). 4-H and FFA carcasses shouldn’t be older than “A”
  • Dark cutter: beef exhibits a dark, purplish red to almost black lean color compared to a normal cherry red. This results from stress prior to slaughter and is a result of high muscle pH.
  • Marbling score: numerical value representing the amount of intramuscular fat in the ribeye
  • Quality grade: based on maturity and marbling; reflects flavor and tenderness of the beef. See Table 1.
  • Cutability: equation similar to yield grade that estimates boneless, closely-trimmed retail cuts from a beef carcass
    • Cutability = 51.34 – (5.78 × BF) – (0.462 × KPH) – (0.0093 × HCW) + (0.74 × REA)
Table 1. Quality grades, marbling calls, and marbling scores for “A” maturity carcasses.
Quality Grade
Marbling Calls
Marbling Score

Prime+

Prime0

Prime-

Choice+

Choice0

Choice-

Select+

Select-

Standard+

Standard-

Abundant            

Moderately Abundant    

Slightly Abundant             

Moderate           

Modest               

Small    

Slight    

Slight    

Traces  

Practically Devoid

900-999

800-899

700-799

600-699

500-599

400-499

350-399

300-349

200-299

100-199

 

Steer of Merit Standards
Item
Range/Standard

Hot Carcass Weight

Dressing Percentage

Back Fat

Ribeye Area

Yield Grade

Dark Cutter

Quality Grade

Cutability

650 – 950 pounds

55 – 68%

0.25 – 0.60 inches

11.5 - 17.5 square inches

≤ 2.99

No

Choice- or better

≥ 51%

 

After evaluation, carcasses are ranked by sorting the data in three steps:

  1. Steer of Merit (Yes or No)
  2. Price per hundred-weight (highest to lowest)
  3. Cutability (highest to lowest)

In the Ultrasound Division, we assume a 62% dressing percentage, 2% kidney, pelvic, and heart fat, and no dark cutters.
Carcasses are priced based on a grid formulated from USDA data the third week of June each year. Grid prices for 2017 are listed below.

2017 SOM Carcass Pricing
Base Price
$193.80/cwt

YG 1

YG 2

YG 3

YG 4

YG 5

$3.69

$1.81

$0.00

($11.54)

($16.85)

Prime

Ch+/Ch0

Ch-

Select

Standard

$13.04

$4.13

$0.00

($26.64)

($35.69)

Dark Cutter

($35.45)

For example, a yield grade 3, Choice+ carcass would be priced at $197.93/cwt ($193.80 + $0.00 + $4.13). Whereas, a yield grade 2, select carcass would be priced at $168.97/cwt ($193.80 + 1.81 - $26.64).

 

Click here for the pdf version of the 2017 Steer of Merit Guidelines and Carcass Basics.